l am 19 and currently very interested about sportbikes. l have done little research and know what to expect. As a rider, please give me opinions on what to do and what bike should l get and how should l maintain it.

So l am 19 and generally very mature driver (sometimes l get pissed at someone but l have alot of experience. l was going to take the MSF or the AMA course or whatever that gets you the license but l had to go away for summer.

l also know the controls of a bike from my friends and stuff (driven stick shift). l just never got a chance to try a bike.

l was also considering 600cc as my first bike, is this too powerfull for first time riders? the ones that are actually interested in motorcycle.

l was also considering 08 cbr 600. Any ideas about this bike (it looks sooo hot :D).

And lastly how do you maintain a bike, Oil the chin?, when to change oil, where to store the bike.

l would also appreciate if you guys can comment on the protective clothing of riders. Is the helmet annoying? (i dont like hats!) Does the jacket keep you warm? Should l buy leather pants or is jeans fine?

Sorry it got kinda long :)

the size of the engine is not as much of an issue as
what the right hand and the brain does. if they work
properly together, there should not be a problem.

Ok ill start it from the top.

First, l think u should start off with a 200cc or 400cc bike, just to get used to it. & they dont cost that much too.

for the gear, a helmet IS A MUST. ur helmet can save ur life. get used to it, u really will thank having a helmet.
Clothes,leather is only needed when u get bigger bikes, the ones that have more than 600cc, l highly doubt u would scrap yourself if u fall off a 200,400cc bike. jeans r good, dont wear sleeveless shirts.

depending on ur climate,the jacket is needed. l personally dont wear one, unless it rains(btw, ALWAYS WEAR FULL SLEEVES WHEN IT RAINS,WHEN YOU ARE EVEN AT 120KMPH AND THE RAIN HITS YOUR ARMS, IT HURTS!!!!)

your bike choice is really up to you,if u know the roads well then go ahead with the cbr 600, l saw it & daaaaaaamn it looks good.

ok, maintain a bike, l think the most things u can do is lubricate certain areas,like the chains,the gear paddle(the joint) the handlebar joint. & try to wash ur bike once a while, use wax if u can. but if u want to really clean ur bike, give it to a shop that u trust(clean bike parts really affect the performance)

other than that, u should learn things on the way. cheers,ride safe bro

l can drive a stick shift.. comment like that shows how little u know

But that is why we r here.. some on here have a lot of miles under there belt & usually give good advice.. the others . well u will soon tell by the they give.

long question & u asked some very good questions that the learner rider should ask..so we worked out ur not stupid.. Ididn'tt look at ur profile.. but if ur like mostthere'ss no info on there anyway.. have a look at mine.. & make yours contain more info.. it helps to answer questions when youdon'tt include enough info in them..

now to the questions..what to do.. the MFS course.
what to buy.. any cheap second hand 250cc to 400cc bike in reasonable condition. (new riders throw bikes down the road)

600cc bike is toopowerfull.. V8 race car has 700hp & weighs 2 ton

600 sports bike has 130 hp & weighs 160 Kgs(power to weight iswhatt makes it quick.)

Maint.. oil the chain once a week. change oil every 5000 miles or as per makersrecommendedd interval.. change oil filter every couple of changes..& air filter the same..

protective clothing..saw one person say youdon'tt need it on a small bike.. 250cc bike do 80 MPH.. Iwouldn'tt want to hit the road at that speed without leather on.. but minimum requirements are.. Helmet(not a $10 one..there for $10 heads)..leather Gloves . leather or denim jacket.. jeans.. good shoes(sneakers will do but boots r better)

Ive been riding for over 40 years.. & l still wear the leather jacket in summer( 100% plus temp)..& gloves & helmet..Its hot when ur sat at thetraffick lights.. but beats loosing skin if u come off

Please do not try to learn to ride on a cbr 600. It is a SPORT BIKE. It is like going out & buying a killer Gretsch guitar & rig & then learning to play. You do not deserve it yet & furthermore u can KILL YOURSELF on the motorcycle. You need to do a bit of research. Read all u can about motorcycles in the magazines & online rather than asking someone else almost everything u should already know before u ever purchase a bike. As for routine maintenance for a specific bike, they come with a manual telling when, what & how to perform basic care for the bike. Please stop & think about what u r doing. l want u to have a bike & l want u to enjoy what l enjoy about bikes but l want u to live a long & happy life with all ur body parts. A motorcycle is dangerous enough by nature when a rider knows how to ride. l would suggest learning to ride off road. Purchase an inexpensive, used dirt bike. Or take the class & use the motorcycles they provide for you. You may find that motorcycles r not for you. You're wanting to pull the trigger before you've learned how to aim the gun. You just might shoot yourself.

I'd definitely suggest u taking the MSF / Beginner is riders course
just knowing the controls on a bike does not mean u can ride it or know how to operate it proper

600cc is not a bad start especially the Honda CBR600RR it is a awesome bike & you're right it is HOT!!! it is powerful so you'd have to respect the bike.or it will throw u off ur butt
l started with a Kawa Ninja zx6r as my first

maintain a bike?? just like a car.oil the chain once or twice a year depends on how often / hard u ride the thing.oil change is the same but avg u change every 2000~3000 miles

you store the bike in a garage.if u have to park outside get locks & chains or park ur car infront of it or get lo-jack/alarm for it.

gears r a MUST! if u r a beginner.(be prepare to fall, it is not if it will happen.it is when it will happen)
atleast wear helmet, jacket, gloves....pants/boots that is up to you

l personally do not like hats either but l do not want to be a organ donor or end up w/ my brain splash on the roads if/when l fall.

G'day, so ur ready to hit the open road, riding is the best. first do not go out & buy anything 08 way to pricey & powerful. l do not wish to sound rude but u want somthing cheaper that when u come off it ( & u will ) it wo not be as painful. do oil change( & filter ) every 5000 km & chain about every 3rd ride.my bikes have always been out of sight, under cover & behind 3 locks(stearing,disc & door locks)as for clothing always always always wear a jacket & long pants jeans r fine,a good helmet is comfy( do not buy cheap wet weathers they do not work)when out riding ask questions we love to answer them.Remember.. to go fast u first must learn to be smooth.happy riding..

200-400cc. What a waste. A bike will only go as fast as you tell it too.

Get the Honda Cbr 600rr. The baddest 600 around.

Check my videos out on youtube. Wormanatti is the name.

Read the comments on all my videos. Guys brought their bikes because of my vids.

Hehe :) Actually 19 is a young age for a motorcyclist man.

The CBR 600 might be a big bike for a beginner but if u respect the bike & do not push too much u will be OK. The CBR 600 is the type of motorcycle that would go - the more u open the throttle the faster would go.

Most of the motorcycle accidents out there happen because the rider is unable to negotiate a turn or is unable to stop efficiently enough. So u will have to have some personal dicipline & take it easy the first year or so. if u can not do that - do not get on such a big bike & just get the Ninja 250.

About the maintenance - u can use the dealer or u can do it urself. The bike comes with an owners manual that will explain how to lube the cables, change the oil, service the air filter, lube & adjust the chain & so on. You'd need to get some tools.

Of course there would be some things that u would not be able to do - such as valve adjustment, & so u will have to pay the dealer to do it for you. But this is usually a procedure that is performed annually.

Helmet is a must. And a jacket is good & comfortable when riding, not to mention that would protect you.

l would recommend taking the MSF course.

Like others have said it does not matter what displacement the bike is, if u r not responsible with it you're going to go down, sooner or later. You can crash a 250cc into a Honda Civic the same way u can on a 1000cc. How responsible r u for ur age is the question u should ask.

A 600cc supersport, like the CBR600RR, is very mellow at engine speeds approx. under 7,000 RPM, making the bike very calm & tame at cruising speeds. This is because it is an inline 4 cylinder, which make high-peak power. When u rip on it all the way to 15,000 + RPM will it go from mellow to monsterous.

Inline is r two faced. A V-Twin is very predictable. There r many engine layouts, but these two r the most popular, IMO.

Also, get the bike YOU want, not what ur friend wants. There r tons of sport, sport touring & supersport sportbikes out there. Shop around. A CBR600RR is very track-focused.

Why not look at a ''sport'' class sportbike like the all new 2009 Yamaha FZ6R, Kawasaki Ninja 250R/650R, or Suzuki GSX650F? They offer more comfortable ergonomics, lower overall cost, but less power. Note l said power, not performance.

Whatever u choose, u will never forget the first time u see an open stretch of road, with no one on it, whether it be a stretch or sequence of twisties, when you're on ur fast bike. You think u can get away with it?

You will find yourself debating ur conscience everytime.

Go fast on the track.

MAINTENANCE:

Acronym: TCLOCS

Tires, Chasis, Oils, Clutch, Sidestand.

As a professional detailer l would recommend the following products/procedure for washing ur bike:

Wash with water & car wash always. Rinse & towel dry everywhere after every ride.

Use Honda Pro Chemicals Spray Cleaner & Polish. By Far the best product I've discovered.

Chain-Motul chain clean. Then use A Lithium-based white wax of ur choice. l know Motorex makes excellent stuff.

Always use a terry cloth or microfiber cloth. Always clean when the bike is wet. If u just spray a cleaner on top of some road grime u r literally pushing that into ur brand new bike is finish, & u will notice spider-crack-like tiny scratches.

If u already know & understand how to drive a manual transmission, it helps learning a motorcycle because it is one less thing u have to focus on when learning. The common saying is that if u can drive a stick & ride a bicycle, learning a motorcycle will be easy. If u can practice discipline & restraint when riding, u may be fine. It is not all fun & games on a sport bike. Even if u ride perfect u need to know how to react when other cars & bikes & trucks do not drive so perfect. That comes from building new instincts & reflexes, & driving habits. While l definitely recommend the class, the class does not usually teach all u need to know. Many, many riders go down every summer due to overconfidence gained by taking the class.

The first time l ever touched a motorcycle, it was a 1997 ZX6. l rode it around a parking lot for 5 minutes to find out how to shift, then rode 100 miles home on the interstate. I’ve been riding ever since with a clean riding history. (Thanks to God) So it is possible to start on something other than a 250. Generally speaking, a 600 is a beginner’s sport bike. The internet is the only place I’ve heard of anybody starting on anything other beside people who grew up riding dirt bikes.

It is only a myth that everybody drops their first bike. Not true at all. Some do but not all.

When l ride on the highway, l assume that every car l pass or that passes me, does not see me & is looking to come into my lane. l am ready for any move that car makes half a second before he makes it.

You have to learn aerodynamics. If u get to close behind a rig, the wind can trap u there. When u pass along side of a rig the wind will pull u closer to the truck at one point & push u away at another. You have to learn all this & have counter balance & movements programmed into ur body reflexes. There is so much more to it. You need lots of practice.

People recommend smaller CC bikes for beginners because most newbies r into it for the speed & flashiness of it & often underestimate the seriousness of riding safe. The temptation to tap into that power is usually too great to overcome. If u know u can & will respect the bike & get at least a thousand miles of practice before hitting the highway, & before group rides, then maybe u can start on a 600cc bike. Otherwise, help yourself out & start small.

Personally l think the 2009 FZ6R is the perfect bike for a mature beginner. It is a 600 but not race tuned. Better riding position & adjustable seat height. Plus it looks good.

You would be just fine on a 600cc bike. Do not listen to the squids that are patting their little liberal hearts saying not to get one. You sound like a very safe rider and intelligent person so trust me. Get a 600 and if you want to get less than that do not go lower than a 500cc bike.

Also go to this web site below and see why you have to be careful in the winds..